Child's Play: We're Going To The Zoo
by TheFifthSister
Summary: Myka and HG take Emma to the zoo for the first time.


Myka and Helena had both been quite busy at the Warehouse, trading off shifts so that at least one of them could be home with their daughter Emma. Both had completed their inventory lists for the week as quickly as possible and talked Artie into giving them a day off together to spend as a family. Myka had woken her girls early, bribing Helena from bed with tea and scones and the promise of making it up to her with an early night, packed them into the car and headed off to Rapid City.

Emma loved animals and so Myka had suggested that they treat her and take her to the zoo. She'd only ever been to petting zoos before now, living in a farming community afforded them the opportunity to do it and it was something that Aunt Claudia enjoyed doing with her niece considering she knew a couple of the local farm hands from evenings spent at open mic nights around Univille.

They started off with the elephants and rhinos, watching as Emma watched them rolling around in the mood and asking her mother's questions about why they did that and she got in trouble for doing it at home. They'd watched the zebras gallop around. They'd smiled as Emma had squealed with delight watching the penguins, laughing and clapping at their shenanigans as they waddled around and she begged the two of them to let her have one. Myka had had to drag Helena away from the monkeys after she'd ended up threatening one that had nailed her with a clump of dirt as they'd stood watching them swing around their enclosure and start trouble. Had Emma not been there Myka was certain that her wife would have caused a bigger scene than the few curse words that had left her mouth.

Myka was happy to be at her favourite part – the giraffes. Helena had slipped off to get a treat for Emma and left the two of them to watch Myka's favourite animal with the promise to return quickly. Myka held Emma in her arms, Emma perched on the fence and mesmerized by the animals in front of her.

"Why are there necks so long Mama?" Emma pointed to one in front of them.

"It's so they can eat the leaves at the top of the trees."

"They so pretty," Emma clapped, bouncing excitedly when a younger giraffe appeared before them. "Mama, it's a baby!"

Myka laughed, beyond happy that Emma was enjoying this just as much as she was and kept a firm hold on her daughter as she bounced around excitedly. They watched one of the giraffes pull leaves from the tree and drop them for the younger one to eat.

"Is that its Mama?" Emma asked, looking up at her mother for an answer.

"Yes, see she's feeding it," Myka pointed. "And looking after her."

"Like you do me?" Emma asked, still looking at her mother.

"Yes, you're my baby," Myka smiled, kissing her on the forehead. "My baby giraffe."

Emma turned her attention back to the giraffes, squealing and telling Myka things until a serious look came over her little features and she around at Myka again. "Where's her Mummy?"

Myka thought about the best answer for this question, knowing that it could lead to other questions from her inquisitive four year old. "Well, Emma, not all little girls have two moms like you do." She waited for 'why' question but a more important question came to Emma's mind.

"Where's _my_ Mummy?" Emma looked around realising that Helena hadn't come back yet.

Myka smiled. "She's getting you an extra special treat, remember? She'll be back in a minute. She doesn't want to miss the giraffes."

Content with the answer Emma once more focused on the animals in front of them. Myka cuddled her daughter, resting her chin on a shoulder and kissing her head as they watched together. The baby started to play, nudging and fussing with its parent and running off which caused the mother to chase it.

"That's what you do to me and Mummy, isn't it?" Myka tickled her daughter.

Emma laughed. "They run funny Mama."

"I've always loved the way they move," Helena's voice sounded from behind them as she joined them against the fence, her gaze fixed on Myka with the longing that had not abated over their years together. "Long, slender limbs that can be clutsy one moment and completely graceful the next. Magnificent creatures."

Myka narrowed her eyes, trying not to let a smile slip past her lips. "I know you're not talking about me."

Helena flashed a devilish smile her way. "Here you are darling. As promised," she held out a popsicle to Emma, smiling when her eyes lit up and she eagerly stuck the treat in her mouth with a muffled 'thank you.'

"Are you enjoying the giraffes?" Helena asked them, the glow in Myka's eyes as she watched already answer enough for her. She tangled her fingers with Myka's and lent against her.

Emma nodded as she licked her popsicle. "They really really tall Mummy. I like it."

Helena smirked. "I like the tall ones too Emma." Myka rolled her eyes, bumping Helena with her shoulder.

"I want to be as big as them," Emma told her parents, pointing at the animals.

"Well, if you grow up tall like your Mama then you will be," Helena told her.

Myka smiled at her, leaning her head on top of Emma's as the thought of her daughter all grown up. "What took you so long?" She asked, realisation suddenly hitting her. "You went back to the monkey sanctuary didn't you?"

Helena feigned hurt. "As much as that little..." Her eyes flicked towards Emma and she changed her choice of words. "chimp deserves retaliation I told you I'd let it go for now."

Myka found it so very amusing that her wife could feel so victimised by a zoo animal. It was adorable. After her own bad experience with monkeys she couldn't blame her at all. Helena wrapped her arms around Myka's waist, leaning her head against hers and squeezed Emma. "I was talking to one of the zoo keepers and he told me that if we go around the corner the two of you can feed the giraffes."

Emma gasped, practically spinning around in Myka's arms. "Can we? Can we really Mummy?"

Helena laughed at the twin looks of excitement on her wife and daughters faces. She picked Emma up, grabbing Myka's hand and led them round to where she'd been told to go. She watched as Emma and Myka held out a branch to the giraffes and her heart leapt at the smile on Myka's face and the squeals of joy coming from Emma. They were trying to get her to keep it down so as not to scare the animals off but she was an excited four year old who wanted nothing more than to play with her new favourite animal. Helena lifted her up to pat the baby's head when it came over for food and one of the zookeepers had taken some photos of the three of them with the giraffes, Emma beaming in the arms of her mothers.

"Thank you," Myka kissed her. "That was awesome. I can't believe I've never done that before."

"I know giraffes are your favourite," Helena told her as they walked on hand-in-hand, Emma running about in front of them. "It's nice to see her sharing that love too."

They followed Emma to the lion closure where Helena taught her how to growl and Myka laughed as the two of them compared one of the sleeping lions to Pete every time it yawned and stretched and begged her mothers' to let her take a cub home with her.

Exhausted at the end of the long and exciting day, Myka had carried Emma back to the car where she was asleep in the back seat. Helena drove home, talking with Myka about everything they'd done and Emma's antics. She wouldn't let the incident at the monkey sanctuary go just yet. She finally moved on to the topic of what they were going to do for dinner and Myka flicked her gaze to their sleeping daughter, cuddling the stuffed giraffe that Myka had gotten for her before they left now that her little girl was so taken with the animals.


End file.
